A family-run German lift manufacturer has found itself at the centre of one of Europe’s most audacious museum robberies — and then turned the incident into an unlikely marketing triumph.
Böcker, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, became an unwitting accomplice in the weekend’s €88 million Louvre Museum heist, after thieves used one of its mechanical lifts to access the Paris landmark. On Sunday morning, the culprits parked a truck equipped with a Böcker Agilo lifting platform outside the museum, scaled a terrace, and broke into the Apollo Gallery, where they stole crown jewels belonging to Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie — all within seven minutes.
After learning that no one was injured, Böcker decided to respond with a touch of humour. On Monday, the company posted a tongue-in-cheek message on social media, overlaying a crime scene image with a promotional slogan: “The Böcker Agilo transports your treasures weighing up to 400kg at 42m/min — quiet as a whisper.”
Managing director Alexander Böcker told AFP that the company’s goal was to find lightness amid the drama. “The crime is, of course, absolutely reprehensible,” he said. “But we saw it as an opportunity to use the most famous museum in the world to get a little attention for our company.”
The cheeky ad quickly went viral, drawing praise from users who called it “brilliant marketing” and “the best ad of the year.” One commenter joked, “Your messaging takes the crown,” in a playful nod to the stolen jewels.
Böcker confirmed that the lift in question had been sold years ago to a French rental firm. The thieves reportedly obtained it by posing as potential customers, arranging a fake demonstration just days before the heist.
Meanwhile, footage of the crime surfaced online this week, showing two men — one wearing a helmet, another a hi-vis vest — descending the Böcker lift from a museum balcony before escaping along the Quai François Mitterrand. The video, lasting just 36 seconds, highlights the thieves’ calm efficiency during the operation.
According to Paris prosecutor Laura Beccuau, four unarmed individuals carried out the robbery, using angle grinders to intimidate security staff. Nine pieces were targeted, with eight successfully stolen from the Napoleon and Empress Eugénie collection. One item — believed to be the emerald-studded imperial crown of Empress Eugénie — was later found outside the museum, damaged but intact.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the theft, calling it “an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our history.” He vowed that the stolen jewels would be recovered and the perpetrators brought to justice.
